The venue was intentionally selected as it speaks directly to the 2026 theme: ‘Unlocking Magic Through Stories – A Journey of Hope and Adventure’.
Dr Bongani Ndhlovu, Executive Director: Core Functions at Iziko Museums of South Africa, officially welcomed the participating story readers, including Mayor Hill Lewis, Councillor Higham, and Community Services and Health Executive Director Zukiswa Mandlana. These special guests were positioned throughout the museum in dedicated genre themed sections, where they engaged visiting school groups in a series of storytelling sessions.
‘In our country, where poor literacy hold so many children back from fulfilling their dreams, let’s all do what we can to encourage more reading, especially reading aloud to our children. Spending the morning in the company of these girls and boys, and sharing with them some wonderful stories, is such a privilege and a pleasure. At grades two and three, they are at the perfect age to discover for themselves the magic of storytelling and books. The City of Cape Town has more than a hundred beautiful public libraries right across the metro where young Capetonians can enter this world of imagination and adventure, and at the same time, acquire the one skill that will set them up for life,’ said Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis.
WRAD is observed annually to promote literacy, storytelling and a culture of reading. The global campaign encourages individuals, families, schools and communities to read aloud together and celebrate the transformative power of stories.
‘Reading aloud to children, from infancy, is one of the greatest gifts we can give. It boosts vocabulary, builds listening skills and sparks imagination as they discover the joy of stories. Through our libraries, we are proud to support World Read Aloud Day by opening doors to magic, hope and adventure, and by nurturing a lifelong love of reading that gives children a strong foundation as they begin their journey into school and beyond,’ said Councillor Higham.
Learners were transported from Gugulethu, Mfuleni, Goodwood and Lentegeur and treated to a special adventure at the museum, where a day of reading was combined with exploration, discovery and fun.
‘Iziko Museums is delighted to open its doors to young learners as part of World Read Aloud Day 2026,’ said Dr Ndhlovu. ‘Museums are spaces of wonder, engagement and imagination and our partnership with LIS allows us to bring stories to life in an environment where learning extends beyond the page. By combining storytelling with exploration, we hope to inspire a lifelong love of reading and show our children that knowledge, heritage and magic can be discovered in many forms.’
This year, Nal’ibali has set an ambitious national goal: to read aloud to four million children across South Africa on WRAD.
The City of Cape Town is proud to support this collective effort to inspire a lifelong love of reading and stories.
‘At Nal’ibali, we believe that storytelling has the power to unlock children’s potential and shape their futures,’ said Carol Titus, Nal’ibali Western Cape Provincial Coordinator.
The 2026 WRAD story, A New Friend, is a milestone publication. It was originally created in South African Sign Language (SASL) by the team at SLED and then translated into all other official languages. The story introduces Thandiwe, a new Deaf Nal’ibali character illustrated by Rico, emphasising inclusivity and representation in children’s literature.
City libraries hosted a variety of WRAD activities ensuring that the spirit of storytelling is shared widely.
Events took place in ECD centres, schools, clinics, libraries and old age homes.
To see what City librarians were reading today, visit the Online Public Access Catalogue (OPAC).
